Mail-in ballots surge in Brevard.
Three weeks away from the August 18th primary election, Florida Democrats hold a slight edge in votes cast through mail ballots statewide, except in Brevard. More than 10,000 Brevard County voters have already cast their ballots by mail. Republican voters account for the largest share of returned mail ballots, with nearly 4,300 ballots cast. Democratic voters have returned over 3,800 ballots. Another 1,600 ballots have been submitted by voters with no party affiliation. Florida’s 2026 Primary Election is on Tuesday, August 18.
Florida leads nation in foreclosures.
Florida leads the nation in foreclosure filings. That’s according to a newly released report by property data company ATTOM. The foreclosures may be as a result of increasing insurance costs, HOA fees, property taxes, and other housing-related costs. Experts recommend that prospective buyers make sure they can comfortably afford their monthly payments before purchasing a home. They also advise homeowners to keep at least six months of reserves available to cover housing expenses in case of an emergency.
Endangered species now more vulnerable in Florida.
Florida manatees and panthers are suddenly much more vulnerable. Environmentalists say it’s due to a recently announced rollback of Endangered Species Act protections. Now Florida Democrats are calling on Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to withdraw their agencies’ rule scheduled to take effect September 14. Environmentalists say it would eliminate protections for threatened species and revise critical habitat exclusions.
Rocket launch scheduled for overnight.
The next rocket launch is scheduled for early tomorrow morning. SpaceX is scheduled to launch a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. The NROL-95 mission will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station no earlier than 3:09AM Thursday. And expect a nighttime booster landing, which may produce a sonic boom eight minutes after launch.
Starlink satellites can find pets.
Thanks largely to regular rocket launches from the Cape, SpaceX's Starlink satellite service has been providing internet to remote regions of the world. Now those same satellites can track your pet. WFIT’s Terri Wright explains.
A new GPS dog tracker can help owners locate their pets even in remote areas without cellular coverage. The Fi Ultra uses T-Mobile's T-Satellite network, powered by Starlink's constellation of nearly 11,000 satellites. The tracker costs $199, with annual service plans starting at $189. Since Starlink's first launch five years ago, the satellite internet service has grown to nearly 7 million users in 150 countries.
Another “experimental explosion” off the coast.
The US Geological Survey reported a seismic event off the east coast of Florida yesterday. It was the second time recently that the ground motions were more typical of an explosion than a naturally occurring earthquake. On June 16 another explosion off Ponce Inlet was attributed to the US Navy conducting shock trials of a new guided missile destroyer.
31 sloths dead - but no criminal neglect.
31 sloths died, but Florida wildlife officials said investigators found no evidence of neglect or abuse that would support criminal charges for an Orlando-area exotic animal business. The issues, officials said, were timing and the law. Agency leaders maintain that by the time investigators became involved, the animals had already died and there was little the agency could do.
Orlando airport is busiest in Florida.
If you fly out of Orlando International, you may have noticed an increase in passengers. The airport is now rated the busiest in Florida and seventh busiest in the nation. Passenger traffic at MCO in 2025 was the 25th busiest worldwide.
